Portable carrying device



May 7, 1946. H. A. CATON PORTABLE CARRYING DEVICE Filed Nov. 25, 1944 Patented May 7, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,399,786 PORTABLE GABRYING DEVICE Harley A. (laton, Omaha,Nebr.

Application November 23, 1944, Serial No. 564,869

6 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in carrying devices such as one-man portable carrying devices adapted particularly for carrying bulky or elongated articles as, for example, bed springs or mattresses. f

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a portable carrying device which shall be foldable to occupy a minimum of storage space when not in use, simple in construction, comparatively light in weight, comparatively inexpensive, and which will facilitate the carrying of bulky and comparatively heavy articles by one man.

An important feature of design and construction resides in the provision of a carrying device which comprises a comparatively narrow, and preferably elongated article-receiving tray or support having a preferably rigid handle pivotally connected to one side of the tray-like article suport and a flexible handle connected to the opposite side of the article support; the rigid handle being adapted to be grasped by one hand, the flexible handle being preferably in the form of a strap and adapted to be passed upwardly and over the top of the article while the free end of the strap is held by the other hand of the person carrying the device so that the combined Weight of the article and the carryingdevice is carried by both hands of the carrier while the load is readily balanced by means of the flexible handle.

With the above and other objects in view which will readily become apparent to thoseskllled in the art to which my invention appertains upon perusal of the attached drawing and following specification, my invention consists in the novel combination and construction of the members and parts shown in preferred embodiment in the attached drawing, described in the following specification, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawing:

Fig. 1 illustrates the manner by which my improved carrying device may be carried by a person to balance and conveniently carry a bulky load such as, for example, a bed spring or mattress;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of my improved carrier embodying my invention;-

Fig. 3 shows an end view of the lower portion of the carrier shown in Fig. 2 and Fig. 4 is a vertical section through the carrying device showing my invention embodied in a device made up from angle irons and plate members.

As shown in Figs, 1, 2 and 3, the device comprises a support, generally designated by numeral 10, adapted to support the article to be carried by the device; a preferably rigid frame handle, generally designated by numeral I l, preferably hingedly connected to one side of the comparatively narrow but elongated support If); and a flexible handle [2 connected to the other side of the support Ill.

The preferably narrow and elongated support I'll as shown consists of'a pair of transverse end bars l3 having upwardly right-angularly bent longitudinally aligned end portions l4. Extending longitudinally of the deviceand riveted, as at 15, to the horizontal portions and to the vertically bent portions I4, is a bent plate constituting a bottom l6 and an integral side ll' upon which bottom plate portion the article to be carried may readily be deposited or slidably inserted.

The opposite ends of the bars l3 are formed with longitudinally aligned. loops l8 for reception of the hinge rods H).

The handle I l, which is preferably constructed in the form of a rigid frame, as shown, consists of a pair of transverse end bars 20 looped at longitudinally aligned ends about the hinge rods l9, as at 2|, and secured in any suitable manner to the longitudinal side bars 22 and 23, as by rivets 24.

A hand grip 25, preferably elongated and of wood, is suitably secured to and at the central portion of the upper side bar 22, as by bolts 26. To strengthen and render the frame handle rigid, particularly if the device is constructed of any very light weight material such as aluminum or magnesium, the frame may be provided with a suitable diagonal bracing as, for example, the braces 21.

While I prefer to employ a rigid framel-like handle ll, it is obvious, that the device could readily be provided with a flexible handle by substituting for the bars 20, 22 and 21, the Wood hand grip 25 with canvas or leather straps shown by dot and dash lines and designated by the numeral 28 and each having one end connected 1 to the bar 23 and the opposite end to the hand grip 25.

The device also includes a flexible handle, generally designated by numeral I2, preferably of canvas, cotton fabric or leather, and suitably secured to the upstanding side I'I. Since I prefer to connect the flexible handle I2 at two points near the ends of the side ll and to provide adjustable means for facilitating the balancing of comparatively long articles such as, for example, a bed spring or mattress, the flexible handle I2 is made preferably in two parts, a flexible part 29 consisting of the free end having secured to its inner end a loop 30, and a flexible part 3| having a medial portion slidably inserted through the loop 351 and its ends secured in any suitable manner, to the side 11.

,So that. the frame II and the support It! may be maintained in a right-angular position, relatively one to the other, I rivet to the bar 23 a pair of short clip angle irons 32 the horizontal legs of which extend beneath the end bars l3.

In the modified construction illustrated in Fig. 4, I show how my device may readily be constructed in rigid form from standard structural angle irons of light weight material such as aluminum or magnesium, or even steel of comparatively thin gauge. iron l3, l4 could be substituted for the bar [3, M; the angle iron 23 could be substituted for the bar 23; and the angle iron frame 20', 22 could be substituted for the bars 20 and 2-2.

As shown in Fig. 4, the plate It may be of aluminum or magnesium, or thin gauge steel and flanged as at the side I? and the plate [6' may extend the full width of the support 10 or only partially of the full width thereof, as shown'in Figs. 2 and 3.

From the above description and attached drawing, it will readily be apparent that the carrying device herein disclosed may be made of light weight material at comparatively low cost of manufacture, that bulky or long articles may For example, the angle I 1 the opposite side of said support and adapted to extend upwardly over the article carried for engagement by the other hand of the person carrying the device and the article supported thereon.

2. A portable article-carrying device adapted to be carried by both hands of a person carrying same while positioned on one side of the device,

- said device comprising a support for the article easily be balanced on the support, and that the balancing of same is aiiorded while carrying of such articles like a bed spring or mattress, which are diflicult to handle due to the fact that the length of the arms of the person attempting to carry either of them without my device would be far too short to embrace such articles about their medial portions, whereas carrying same with my device will be to a great advantage and that less effort will be required since in effect the flexible handle 12 acts as an extended arm whereby the far side and top of either of such articles may be securely embraced by the flexible handle l2 and at the same time, by means of the looped connection 30, a rearrangement or adjustment for enhanced balancing is readily provided.

In the event it might be desired to slide the device upon a polished or carpeted floor, the lower face of each of the transverse bars l3 may be provided with a pair of semi-spherical or domed glides 32 as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

It will be observed that the device is actually provided with two handles adapted to be grasped by the hands of the person carrying same and that onehandle is fixed relatively to the support for the article to be carried but that the other handle is flexible so as to extend from the opposite side of the device to the side of the first named handle and that said other handle, in the case of carrying a bulky article such as a bed spring or mattresaalso extends over the upper side of the spring or mattress and engages same to retain and balance same and to permit both handles to be held by the person carrying the device while such person is positioned on one side of the device and the article supported on the device.

I claim:

1. A portable article-carrying device adapted to be carried by both hands of a person carrying same while positioned on one side of the device, said device comprising a rigid and substantially flat support for the article to be carried, a handle hingedly connected with one side of said support adapted to be grasped by one hand of a downwardly extended arm of the person carrying the device with said handle extending upwardly a fixed distance above said support, a second elongated flexible handle connected with to be carried, a structural rigid frame handle pivotally connected to one side of said support, a flexible elongated handle connected to the opposite side of said support adapted to extend upwardly over the article carried on said support, said rigid frame handle being held by one hand of the person carrying the device while the flexible handle is held by the other hand.

3. A portable article-carrying device as set forth in claim 2, said structural frame handle being swingable about its pivotal connection into substantially parallel alignment with said support when the device is not in use, and including means for retaining said structural frame handle in a fixed position relatively rightangularly to said support.

. 4. A portable article-carrying device adapted to be carried by both hands of a person carrying same while positioned on one side of the device, said device comprising an elongated support including a laterally disposed base having an upstanding flange along one side thereof, a rigid frame pivotally connected to the opposite side of said support and having means engageable with the bottom face of said support whereby said frame is prevented from pivotal movement beyond a right-angular position relatively to said support when the device is in use but permitting said frame to be pivotally moved toward said support into substantially parallel alignment therewith when not in use, said frame having a portion constituting a handle adapted to be grasped by one hand of the person carrying the device, a second elongated flexible handle counected to said upstanding flange adapted to ex- 1 forth in claim 4, said second elongated flexible handle consisting of a flexible member provided at one end thereof with a looped connection, and a second flexible member extending through said looped connection and having its end connected to said upstanding flange.

6. A portable article-carrying device adapted to be carried by both hands of a person carrying same while positioned on one side of the device, said device comprising an elongated support for the article, a flexible handle connected to one side of said support and extending a fixed distance. above said support, another flexible handle consisting of an elongated flexible member having a connection atone end thereof, and a second member slidably extending through said connection and having its ends connected to the otherside of said support at spaced points thereof, said first-named flexible handle being adapted to be held in one hand of the person carrying the device while said second-named handle is extended upwardly over the article being carried and held in the other hand of the person carrying the device.

' HARLEY A. CATON. 

